News | Realizing value by the application of clever technology, Semantic web and graph specialists | OverStory Ltdhttp://www.overstory.co.uk/news/Mon, 01 Jan 2018 23:13:47 +0000en-USSite-Server v6.0.0-16734-16734 (http://www.squarespace.com)News and Views Stuff you should knowXRay Gradle PluginToolsAnnouncementRon HitchensMon, 01 Jan 2018 23:58:13 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/xrayplugin56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:5a4ac0abc83025f844ae4d2aNecessity is the mother of invention. We at OverStory had the necessity of
running XRay unit tests on MarkLogic from within a Gradle build. But we
were mildly surprised that there was no easy way to do that, so we invented
an XRay plugin for Gradle.Necessity is the mother of invention. We at OverStory had the necessity of running XRay XQuery unit tests on MarkLogic from within a Gradle build. But we were mildly surprised to find there was no easy way to do that, so we invented an XRay plugin for Gradle.

This plugin is open source and has been published to the public Gradle repository for anyone to freely use in their Gradle builds.

This project is a plugin for Gradle that will run XRay tests on MarkLogic (or any XQuery platform where the tests can be invoked by an HTTP GET call to a URL).

Using the XRay Plugin

To use this plugin with Gradle, all you need to do is reference it in your build.gradle file, in a plugins block, like this:

plugins {
id: 'uk.co.overstory.xray' version '1.0.1'
}

If you already have a plugins block, just add the above reference to it. Check the Gradle.org plugins page to find the latest version number of the plugin.

What It Does

What this plugin does:

It applies the java plugin if not already applied. That plugin provides the compile/build lifecycle tasks.

This plugin creates the 'xray' task and makes 'test' depend on it. That causes the XRay tests to be run before the 'test' task.

This plugin accepts several configuration parameters, ... [See project page for more details]

]]>XRay Gradle PluginMarkLogic Debug PluginAnnouncementToolsRon HitchensThu, 15 Jun 2017 19:44:42 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/plugin56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:594297cc9de4bb914a4c2802Develop MarkLogic code with pleasureOverStory is happy to announce public availability of a new XQuery language plugin for IntelliJ IDEA. This plugin not only provides excellent language-aware XQuery 3.0/3.1 editing, including MarkLogic extensions, to the popular Integrated Development Environment (IDE) it also adds live execution and debugging of XQuery code inside MarkLogic.

This new plugin is a big step forward for developing MarkLogic application code. You can now use a single IDE to develop code in Java (or Groovy/Scala/Python/PHP/JavaScript/etc) and XQuery all in one place. In a single IDE you can now set breakpoints both in your Java code and in your XQuery for integrated, full stack, in-situ development and problem resolution.

This is a beta release of the plugin. There is still work to do but we want to put it in the hands of developers now. We very much want developer feedback so that we can polish it up for final release soon. We will release updates fairly quickly during the beta phase as needed to achieve a stable 1.0 release in the near future.

The MarkLogic Debugger plugin is available now in the public JetBrains/IntelliJ repository. It can be downloaded from the web, but it is much easier to install via the Plugins dialog. Within IntelliJ, just go to Preferences > Plugins > Browse Repositories and search for "MarkLogic". The name of the plugin is "XQuery Support + MarkLogic Debugger". Simply click to install.

The plugin is not restricted to IDEA (the Java IDE), it should also work in the other members of the JetBrains IDE family such as WebStorm, PyCharm, PhpStorm and etc. If you use any of those IDEs please try it out and let us know your experiences.

This plugin is an Open Source project and can be found on GitHub. Please report any bugs or other issues via the project Issue Tracker. You can also suggest new features there, but check the Roadmap on the Wiki first. The Wiki is also where you will find information about how to get started with the plugin and what you will need to know about debugging XQuery on MarkLogic.

Keep an eye on our @overstory Twitter feed for updates about the plugin. If you want to contact us to discuss details of the plugin, sponsoring the project or otherwise contributing, or for bespoke development, contact us by email: plugin@overstory.co.uk.

For example, who can pilot the most craft, or what craft can be flown by the most characters?

]]>Graph the force, LukeOverStory are attending XML Prague 2017 ConferencesChris HayesWed, 11 Jan 2017 09:40:06 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/overstory-are-attending-xml-prague-201756a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:5875fa086b8f5bb4103254acOverStory will be attending XML Prague on 9-11 February 2017.We are attending XML Prague on February 9th at the University of Economics (UoE) campus in Prague, The Czech Republic.

Re directions, ask for Churchilla, or Winston Churchill square. As there's a large statue of the statesman outside.

XML Prague boasts the latest news and developments in the world of XML, and adjacent technologies. The agenda features a strong line up of expert speakers from across the this technology sector.

OverStory will be attending, and look forward to meeting the delegates and discussing new developments in the areas of content and document data technologies, including Semantics and Connected Data.

We hope to see you there!

]]>OverStory are attending XML Prague 2017XML.com ReduxAnnouncementChris HayesFri, 06 Jan 2017 12:46:25 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/xmlcom-redux56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:586f8932d1758e5863fca25bWe're glad to say that XML.com is back, restored, and ready for business.Recently restored, the existing articles are still hosted on the site. Now in 2017, Tim Bray is keen to publish new articles by authors who continue to stimulate debate and illustrate success. Read more about the new site.

So if your thing is the future of technologies involved with XML, i.e: JSON-LD or YAML etc, or you just want to learn about the subject, get over there and explore. Tip, not all the articles are linked from the navigation, so use the search to find more.

The OverStory team have been busy on location shooting this Christmas message...

Wishing you a Merry Christmas in 2016.

]]>Why ACID transactions matter in an eventually consistent worldChris HayesFri, 23 Sep 2016 10:23:55 +0000https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/why-acid-transactions-matter-in-an-eventually-consistent-world56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:57e4fb8f37c5811bc06b3b6bEvery now and then we see something worth sharing. This article on Why ACID
transactions matter in an eventually consistent world is one. This article
by Emily Drevets explains why Systems with weak consistency guarantees can
be expensive in unexpected ways.Every now and then, we see something relevant to our world, and something that is worth sharing.

This article by Emily Drevets explains why Systems with weak consistency guarantees can be expensive in unexpected ways.

Why ACID transactions matter in an eventually consistent worldCambridge University Press Launches Cambridge CoreChris HayesMon, 12 Sep 2016 20:20:20 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/cambridge-university-press-release-cambridge-core56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:57d6704f8419c2587221704cCambridge University Press (CUP) has launched the Cambridge Core online
publishing service, using critical components delivered by OverStory.OverStory is delighted to report that Cambridge University Press (CUP) have successfully launched their new Cambridge Core platform, which hosts more than 30,000 books and 360 journals comprising many millions of articles. Core has been designed to replace two existing older platforms, modernise their publishing processes, and be a springboard to future growth.

“We are delighted to be launching Cambridge Core which showcases the breadth and depth of Cambridge’s academic content to support research and learning goals. The needs of researchers, librarians, authors and our publishing partners have underpinned its entire development and will continue to drive ongoing advances to ensure we support the academic community through our digital publishing.”

OverStory was introduced into the nascent project in mid 2015 to architect and build the ingestion, pre-publication workflow, enrichment, transformation and content delivery systems. These systems had to operate at very large scale, be very reliable, and allow content to be automatically enriched with RDF and citation metadata.

OverStory's team of experts worked closely with the CUP team using agile techniques to implement the myriad features and adapt quickly to changing requirements. OverStory also provided CUP production staff with formal XML training during this time.

Ron Hitchens, founder of OverStory said:

"This project illustrates what can be accomplished when the right combination of tools, techniques and (most importantly) people come together. Expertise, dedication, determination and vision, aligned to client goals, can lead to great things. Like any major project, the CUP Core effort has had its share of eureka moments and technical cul-de-sacs, but this project's successful launch shows how the collaboration between CUP and OverStory has come to fruition. We hope to help CUP achieve and exceed future expectations"

OverStory offers hearty congratulates to The Press, and all the people involved in the project, on this landmark achievement.

]]>Cambridge University Press Launches Cambridge CoreAs summer draws to a close, new opportunities openEventsClientsChris HayesThu, 08 Sep 2016 10:35:01 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/september201656a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:57d135b044024361a7ed1911Meet us in September.In the UK, dusk is coming earlier every evening now. This end to summer can be depressing, but fear not, we are still offering consultancy if you need help.

We've had a busy summer, helping various clients meet their business objectives. Some of the projects have had their first release, and are serving many hundreds of thousands of users already, whilst other engagements are still ongoing.

Chris & Ron will be attending the MarkLogic User Group London meet-up on Thursday 15th September. Come along, listen to Jenn Shorten talk about the growth of MarkLogic, and catch up with us with food/drink before or afterwards.

Consultancy offer

OverStory is still offering a unique opportunity for a day of free consultation with one of our Principal Consultants. This is a free, no obligation meeting at your company to discuss anything you would like, e.g.:

Database selection, i.e. NoSQL vs Relational vs Graph

Is MarkLogic a good fit for you? What it's good at, and what it's not

Is XML or JSON is for you?

Advice on best practices for managing content, workflows, searching, etc

Architectural patterns and robust system design

API design help, XML data modeling, or data conversion assistance

Roadmap suggestions for escaping your legacy dependencies

Analysis and solution of performance issues

Other matters, e.g. Agile, cloud migration, build/deploy, etc

This offer is genuinely free. There is no obligation to undertake consulting services from OverStory afterwards and nothing to sign now. We seek to work with great companies and solve interesting problems. If, after spending the day together, you think we can help then we'd obviously like to discuss moving on to an engagement. We offer consultancy services, software development and delivery, agile coaching, training on many topics, etc.

Contact us if you'd like to take advantage of this opportunity. There are no hidden catches.

Please note: We cover our own travel costs, so this offer is limited to the UK mainland. If you are further afield, please get in touch anyway. We may be able to work something out, or perhaps do a teleconference. We do provide services throughout the UK, Europe, the US and elsewhere.

]]>As summer draws to a close, new opportunities openOverStory sponsor the 2016 AAUP annual conferenceEventsConferencesChris HayesFri, 27 May 2016 12:01:45 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/overstory-sponsor-aaup-conference56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:57482a3be32140c00f3aeda6OverStory supports the University Presses by sponsoring the 2016 AAUP
annual conference OverStory are really happy to be sponsoring the 2016 Association of American University Presses (AAUP) annual conference in Philly on June 16.

Energize & Innovate: fantastic, we'll fit in well then.

Although we're primarily UK based, our team spans into the US and Canada, where we are working in some key publishing projects within scholarly publishing and other sectors.

OverStory sponsored the Liverpool Uni Redux earlier this year, which gave us a great insight into the university press arena. Even though we work with Cambridge University Press, we wanted to know more.

We solve problems

OverStory has real experience in helping publishers of many types solve their content related problems. We advise, design, build or improve systems crucial to the delivery of Scholarly publishing content. Our clients include CABI, Springer, Cambridge University Press and IOP Publishing amongst others. We could help you too with:

advice or consultancy, whether for platform enhancement or performance gains

system integration or workflow efficiency gains

audits of your review a semantic implementation or cloud deployment, to suggest improvements

do you want to understand XML better, or upskill your teams? We can help here with our expert trainers

have you got a particular need and aren't sure which way to turn? Talk to us. We'll give you open and honest advice.

We work with the correct tools or platforms as needed, and if there is a need to build, we are experts at XML based content repositories and semantic engines.

We also offer bespoke training in the UK; our OverStory University is actively training teams in many aspects of XML production.

We can help

If you need assistance, please get in touch. OverStory care, and can help.

]]>OverStory sponsor the 2016 AAUP annual conferenceOverStory Helps CABI Move to MarkLogicClientsRon HitchensSun, 24 Apr 2016 16:00:08 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/overstory-helps-cabi-transition-to-marklogic56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:571cc1bfb09f958e42b2da0aOverStory has helped CABI's strategic transition to MarkLogic for their
publishing platform/This video recently posted by MarkLogic features Andrea Powell, CIO of CABI discussing some of the challenges her organization faces and why they'e chosen to transition part of their publishing infrastructure to MarkLogic.

Andrea Powell, CIO at CABI

CABI (which is an acronym whose meaning has apparently been forgotten in the century since it was founded) is an inter-governmental organization that not only publishes scholarly works related to agriculture and related fields, but also does original research and outreach programs to farmers and aid agencies around the world.

OverStory was invited in by CABI at the very beginning of their technology planning process to consult on a broad array of requirements. These ranged from basic questions of how to install and configure MarkLogic clusters, to XML data modeling (the legacy data was coming from relational, the SQL folks struggled a bit with the new paradigm), to XQuery coding, to REST API design and system architecture, to semantic RDF enrichment, to data conversion and more.

CABI has a well-thought out, comprehensive IT plan of where they want to be by the end of the decade and OverStory is glad to be a part of realizing CABI's ambitious initiatives for the future.

OverStory is delighted to be accepted into The Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) as an associate member. ALPSP is the largest trade association for scholarly and professional publishers around the world. Chris Hayes of OverStory said:

"I'm so pleased we're now members of ALPSP. When I joined OverStory, I was keen to emphasize that we're more than just software consultants, but have years of experience delivering value to the STM community. Joining ALPSP helps us emphasize this, and we hope to use it as a springboard to deliver value to the members, whether that is via consultancy, training or product development. Exciting times!"

OverStory is a UK based consultancy with specialist expertise in the systems and technology that underpin XML based content delivery systems, especially using MarkLogic. We are technology experts, familiar with cutting edge techniques and industry thinking. But we also understand the STM publishing world and the issues it faces. We've designed and built content systems from top to bottom, handling content ingestion, content enrichment (semantic and otherwise), entitlement constraints, search and transformation at massive scale, delivery of personalised content on the fly, etc. We also know how to integrate with other systems and services, such as Crossref, PubMed, etc. We're also experienced in finding ways to disconnect from legacy systems that are holding you back.

OverStory Director of Operations Chris Hayes managed the development of IOP’s journal delivery platform for over 10 years, managing development of features such as Article of the Future, eBooks, Semantic enrichment, AltMetrics and Video Abstracts amongst others.

OverStory Founder and Principal Consultant Ron Hitchens helped develop MarkLogic itself (employee #20), has worked at companies such as IBM, Unisys, and Motorola and passed up opportunities to get rich at Dell and Pixar. After MarkLogic, Ron has consulted with most major publishers in the UK, including Wiley, Springer, Elsevier, IOP and Cambridge University Press.

We look forward to getting to know other members of the ALPSP and collaborating where possible to help them achieve their goals. If you think we could be of help to you, please contact us and let's discuss how we can help each other.

]]>OverStory Joins ALPSPFree Consulting OfferChris HayesMon, 18 Apr 2016 12:02:00 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/free-consulting56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:56d835f3ab48de3fe2aa0b87Limited time offer of free consulting from OverStoryFrom now through June 2016, OverStory is offering a unique opportunity for a day of free consultation with one of our Principal Consultants. This is a free, no obligation meeting at your company to discuss anything you would like.

Consultancy could be, but is not limited to helping you with design, implementation or delivery problems. Some examples could be:

Advice on best practices for managing content, workflows, searching, etc

Database selection, i.e. NoSQL vs Relational vs Graph

Architectural patterns and robust system design

API design help, XML data modeling, or data conversion assistance

Provide an objective view on whether XML or JSON is for you

Roadmap suggestions for escaping your legacy dependencies

Is MarkLogic a good fit for you? What it's good at, and what it's not

Analysis and solution of performance issues

Other matters, e.g. Agile, cloud migration, build/deploy, etc

This offer is genuinely free. There is no obligation to undertake consulting services from OverStory afterwards and nothing to sign now. We seek to work with great companies and solve interesting problems. If, after spending the day together, you think we can help then we'd obviously like to discuss moving on to an engagement. We offer consultancy services, software development and delivery, agile coaching, training on many topics, etc.

Please note: We cover our own travel costs, so this offer is limited to the UK mainland. If you are further afield, please get in touch anyway. We may be able to work something out, or perhaps do a teleconference. We do provide services throughout the UK, Europe, the US and elsewhere.

OverStory sponsored The University Press Redux conference at Liverpool University Press on March 16th and 17th 2016.

This event is an annual gathering of University Press organizations, and was hosted this year at the University of Liverpool.

It was a very informative conference, with speakers from many UK presses as well as those from the US. The content ranged from subjects such as the future purpose of the University Press, it's niche and relationship to readers, funders and libraries, through to the technicalities of creating a business case for transitioning to an XML workflow.

OverStory were proud to sponsor this event. Chris and Ron attended, and we gained a closer insight into this world, and met some lovely people from both sides of the Atlantic.

News RSS]]>New OverStory website!OverstoryFri, 04 Mar 2016 22:45:00 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/2016/1/28/new-website56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:56aa99ef8b38d48c8e231582Just one of the new things happening in 2016. An exciting year.And about time too. After years of neglect while we were worked hard to build the business, we've finally given the trusty old website a bit of love and attention.

Find out about who OverStory are, what we do, and how we can work together to accomplish great things. Whether it's partnering, training or consultancy, we can make it better.

]]>New OverStory website!OverStory University DebutTrainingOverstoryMon, 01 Feb 2016 19:48:37 +0000http://www.overstory.co.uk/news/overstoryu-rollout56a8f387a12f446482d70f54:56aa9972ab2810426c777021:56afb67b60b5e9c798ee3094OverStory University: bespoke training for a segmented worldIn 2016 we embark on a new adventure to deliver high-quality, customised training courses built on the expertise and competencies that OverStory has built up over the years. In the works for a while now, OverStoryU aims to provide courses that are directly relevant to the needs of our client, with a high-degree of content customisation. This will allow our expert instructors to tailor the material to the specific challenges faced by students. We can also craft bespoke training+consultation packages to skill up your team while leveraging our unique expertise.

Starting with in-house training for corporate clients, we will soon be offering courses to the public as well. Let us know what sort of courses you would like to see.

As OverStory University grows, we plan to expand our offerings by partnering experts in other fields. The subjects will encompass specific technologies such as Git/GitHub, Docker, Jira and so on, as well as broader topics such as Test Driven Development, Agile methodologies, Design Patterns, security, cloud-based distributed systems, etc.